In a bold move to tackle gender imbalance in the tech sector and accelerate Africa’s transition from a technology-consuming continent to a technology-creating one, Chairman of Zinox Group, Dr. Leo Stan Ekeh, has announced a five-year target to empower 10,000 women in technology. His goal is to close the gender gap and enable more women to play active roles in Africa’s evolving digital economy.
Zinox Group has already laid a strong foundation toward this vision. Through its technology distribution subsidiary, TD Africa, the Group has trained more certified tech professionals across sub-Saharan Africa than any other organization. This success is rooted in strategic alliances with global Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) including HP, IBM, Dell, and Cisco. Under the leadership of Mrs. Chioma Ekeh—Dr. Ekeh’s wife and a seasoned business executive—TD Africa has become a force in tech training and distribution across the continent.
The company’s impact is visible in milestones like the recent graduation of around 400 female tech talents through its TecHerdermy program. This initiative marks significant progress toward Dr. Ekeh’s long-held belief—first articulated more than 15 years ago—that women will rise to dominate leadership across industries, especially in technology. Today, many global and African firms are seeing that prediction come to life.
Recent data supports this shift. McKinsey’s 2023 Women in the Workplace report shows that companies with gender-diverse executive teams are 25 percent more likely to outperform peers financially. The World Economic Forum has also found that economies with higher female workforce participation grow on average 3.4 percent faster. In the tech sector, Deloitte’s 2023 Global Technology Leadership Study revealed that companies with above-average diversity in tech teams report 30 percent higher innovation revenue.
Zinox exemplifies these trends in its own operations, with more than five women serving as CEOs across its business divisions. These women are not simply present—they are delivering results, nurturing talent, and redefining leadership across a male-dominated field. Zinox’s motto, “anticipating the future,” reflects its commitment to forward-thinking leadership that places women at the center of Africa’s digital transformation.
This commitment to building talent has had ripple effects across the continent. Alumni of Zinox and its subsidiaries now hold leadership positions in multinational companies, bringing with them the ethos of excellence and innovation nurtured under Dr. Ekeh’s guidance.
Speaking recently at the Nigerian Computer Society’s AI and Robotics Summit, Dr. Ekeh reiterated his belief in competing through “exceptional content.” His three-decade-long advocacy for technology as a force for national transformation remains steadfast—despite setbacks like a $28 million investment loss in early Nigerian AI ventures. Today, he remains more committed than ever to creating impactful, profitable, and enduring solutions through technology.
Dr. Ekeh’s philosophy combines deep investment in research, people, and spiritual values. He believes innovation without character or purpose is incomplete, and he encourages African entrepreneurs to build not just for profit but for legacy and service.
With the African tech ecosystem projected to hit $712 billion in value this year, and studies showing that women-led startups generate 35 percent higher returns on investment, Dr. Ekeh’s initiative is not only socially relevant but economically strategic. As Africa rises in the global digital economy, his vision signals a powerful truth: the continent’s future in tech is increasingly female and that future is no longer far off; it is here.
